bergmuller



( o Model) H A. BERGMULLER.

GRAIN WASHING APPARATUS.

Patented Feb. 8, 1898.

WITNESSES: 2 //W%7'oj I If 1 W 7 W "7 TATESI PATENT GRAlN-WASHlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,495, dated February e, 1898. Application filed fi'eptember 30, 1896. fierial N- 607,4=17. (No model.) Patented in Germany March 24, 1891,No. 58,770, and

in Austria March 22,1896,N0. 2,077/46.

' ing action beforebeing further utilized and treated.

With this object in view my invention consists in the means, features, and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims. j

In the apparatus embodying this invention the cleansing may-be carried out in a single receptacle or in two receivers whichare so arranged and connected that the grain is alternately transferred from one receptacle to the other in the cleansing operation.

A Washing apparatus embodying my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents an elevation of the same, partially in vertical section; Fig. 2, a

plan view of two washing-receptacles forming part of the apparatus; and Figs. 3 and 4, de-

tail views, in vertical longitudinal and vertical transverse section, of a modified form of device.

By referring to the drawings it will be noted that this washing apparatus comprises a grain-washing receptacle, in this case a cylindrical receptacle A, having a lower portion A ofinverted conical or funnel shape, the

said receptacle communicating with a watersupply by pipe I). The water flows off through overflow-pipe c,which discharges it into a strainer d, which serves to retain the coarser impurities, such as husks, light grains, and chaff. The dirty water then escapes through the drain-pipe e. The bottom of the receptacle A is closed at f in such a manner as to be easily opened. When it is opened and the foraminated slideg is removed, the purified grain may be emptied from the'was hing apparatus. To prevent the grain from getting into the water-supply pipe I), a perforated lining or Woven-wire cylinder A or other suitable grain-trap is provided at the point where the pipe 5 opens into the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 1.

Above the slide 9 a discharge pipe 72. branches off from the washing-receptacle A and connects the same with a suitable receiver or tank 0. An inlet-pipe h communicates with this tank and serves to connect the said tank 0 with the motive apparatus. To prevent the water in the receptacle A from acting on the motive apparatus, a check-valve p is arranged in the pipe h.

The receiver or tank G is divided by a strainer or perforated diaphragm 9, above which the pipe h from the washing-receptacle enters the tank 0. The end of pipe -h is adapted to be closed by a valve 1", which is suitably operated. An outlet-pipe s, moreover, rises from tank 0, and to the top of said pipe sis connected a delivery-tube t by means of a screwunion s in such a manner that the grain to be treated may be continually returned from the tank 0 to the same washingreceptacle from which it was fed to tank 0, or, on the other hand, may be alternately returned to first one and then the other of the two washing-receptacles (illustrated in Fig. 2) by loosening the union 3 at the proper time.

Instead of the semicylindrical deliverytube 15 I may employ the modified device represented in Figs. 3 and 4. This device consists of a casing preferably in the form of a trough-shaped part a, through which passes a conductor or diagonal tube cl, provided with perforations. The upper end of this perforated tube cl communicates with the pipe 15', which connects the trough a with pipe 8 by the union 8. The other end of the perforated tube d opens through the bottom of the trough a, as shown. The trough ct, moreover, is provided at its lowest point with wastepipe 6 for the dirty water.

The valve 7" is intermittently or periodically opened and closed by the rod 70, guided in guide-block 7c, the lever 00, fulcrumed at 00', the rod 3 &c., or in any other suitable manner. It is operated reversely to the motive device for operating the washing apparatus and which is connected to the pipe it, so that valve r is closed when the said motive device exerts pressure, and vice versa.

The motive device may be a pump or injector or compressed gases, (air, sulfurous acid, 850.) Water under pressure, &c., may serve as such motive agentsin short, any agent which acts periodically or intermit tently. A combination of pump, water under pressure, compressed air, or compressed gas may be employed. The latter combination possesses the advantage that when employing a water-pump the introduction of air into the suction-tube results in a better washing effect, to which, must be added the advantage of airing the grain during the washing process.

In Fig. 1 I have shown at the right one form of motive device and its connections with my improved grain-washing apparatus. I make no claim to the specific motive device illustrated, since it is obvious that many other forms may be employed with similar results. In said Fig. 1, B is an air-compressing pump having a piston 19, a piston-rod b and a connecting-rod 12 which are reciprocated by a crank Z9 on a shaft having two pulleys b b the latter being driven by a belt I) from any suitable source of power. (Not shown.) The pulley b drives a pulley b on a shaft which carries a cam b that acts against a roller on the end of a lever 6 to which is connected the valve-operating rod y. The air-compressing pump B has an inlet-valve 11 and outletvalve 1), the outlet being connected to the pipe 71. By this construction the air-compressing pump forces air into the receiver 0 on each downstroke in a well-known manner, while the valve-operating rod y is forced down and held in that position by the revolution of the cam 5 whereby the valve 7 closes the end of the discharge-pipe 8 and shuts off all communication between the receptacle A and the receiver 0. On the upward stroke of the piston of the air-compressing pump the said valve 7 is opened by the action of the cam I9 I g The washing process in this apparatus is carried out as follows: The receptacle A is filled with water and the grain to be Washed is introduced. The motive apparatus is started, the movement of the same governing also the opening and closing of the valve r. When the valve 7" is opened, the weight of the grain in receptacle A causes it to descend into tank 0, the perforated diaphragm inthe latter preventing its access to the motive device, while the check-valve p prevents the pressure in the washing apparatus from being communicated to the motive device. The pipe h is then closed by valve 0 and the grain is by the pressure from the motive device forced through the pipe 5 and delivery-tube if either back into the same orinto the second washing-receptacle A. In this operation impurities, light grains, &c., are separated either by compressed air, sulfurous acid, or water under pressure from the pump, the injector, or the like and the grain thus purified. These impurities are carried off through the wide overflow-pipe 0 into the strainer'cl, in which the largest parts collect, while the dirty water flows off through the drain-pipe e. When employing the device represented in Figs. 3 and 4, the grain passes through pipe t into the perforated tube (1, through the perforations d of which the dirty Water escapes, being further carried off and out of the apparatus by waste-pipe e. The grain, on the other hand, runs the length of the tube (1 either into the same washing-receptacle A from which it was discharged into tank 0 or into the second washing-receptacle. This process may be repeated several times to make the purification as perfect as possible. When the washing has been completed, the slide 9 iswithdrawn and the grain discharged from the washing apparatus at f.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a grain-washing apparatus, the combination, witha grain-washing receptacle, an overfl0w-pipe,and a discharge-pipe connected to said grain-washing receptacle, of a supplypipe communicating with the discharge-pipe, areceiver with which the discharge-pipe communicates, an outlet-pipe leading from said receiver, an inlet-pipe for conducting fluid under pressure to said receiver, a perforated diaphragm intermediate the discharge-pipe and said inlet-pipe, and avalve for closing the discharge-pipe.

2. In a grain-washing apparatus, the combination, with a grain-washing receptacle, a

discharge-pipe leading therefrom and a re-.

ceiver into which the discharge-pipe empties, of an inlet-pipe leading to the receiver, a check-valve in said inlet-pipe, means for intermittently supplying fluid under pressure to said inlet pipe, and an intermittentlyacting valve arranged to close the dischargepipe, substantially as described.

3. In a grain-washing apparatus, the combination, with a pair of grain-washing receptacles, a receiver and a discharge-pipe leading from one receptacle to the receiver, of an outlet-pipe connected to said receiver and provided with a movable end arranged to discharge into either receptacle and means for forcing the grain through the outlet-pipe,substantially as described. i

4. In a grain-washing apparatus, the combination, with a grain-washing receptacle, a receiver, and a discharge-pipe connecting the receptacle to the receiver, of periodically-acting means for supplying fluid under pressure IIO to the receptacle, a valve for closing the dismy invention I have signed my name in prescharge-pipe, and mechanism connected to the ence of two subscribing Witnesses. valve for closing the valve during the operation *of the fluid-supplying means and for BERGMULLER' 5 opening the valve when said means is at rest, Witnesses:

substantially as described. ALBERT WEIOKMANN,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as CARL MAYER.' 

